Chernobyl: distorted reality, and unanswered questions

We have just returned after completing an important mission in Ukraine – taking around 70 journalists from 18 countries with us to Chernobyl, nearly 25 years after the nuclear catastrophe. It was one of the largest media trips Greenpeace has organized. These seasoned journalists asked critical and insightful questions, none of them easily moved.

But many of them were deeply disturbed by what they saw and heard – often by the mundane details that were mentioned matter-of-factly by the interviewees.

Like every year Ukraine government needs to spend between six to eight percent of the fiscal budget to cope with the consequences of Chernobyl.

Like how tens of thousands of Ukrainian children need to be sent away every year to uncontaminated areas for at least a month, in order to allow the body to get rid of some of the Cesium-137 accumulated through eating everyday food like milk, mushrooms, berry jam and meat.

Like how children of Rokytne get tonsillitis several times a year because their immune systems are compromised by radionuclide. According to deputy head doctor from the District Hospital, two-thirds of the population of 53,000 he cares for is affected by Cesium-137 contamination in food. Rokytne is 300km away from Chernobyl, on the other side of the country.

Like how the local health and sanitary station in some areas need to make maps to tell local communities where the radiation hotspots are and thus unsafe to go.

Like how in school children are taught the practical steps of radiation safety, and do emergency drills with gas masks.

Like how young expectant mothers get advice about what food they need to avoid, in order to minimise radionuclide uptake, which causes deformity in the developing fetus. They need frequent checks and if the fetus develops serious deformity then it may have to be aborted.

Like how it is considered impolite to ask workers building the new sarcophagus about their personal radiation dose. If it reaches the limit then they cannot work, which means they lose their job.

Like how radioactive waste containment and management had become an important sector of the economy, because of the Chernobyl disaster. The original sarcophagus, hastily built in the months after the accident, is meant to only last 25-30 years and now at risk of collapse. Underneath, the destroyed reactor is still on site and cannot be dismantled because of its extreme radioactivity.

The consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster lie in these mundane everyday facts. Life for these communities is brutally distorted, for centuries to come.

However, when I returned from Ukraine, I was hit by another distorted reality.

Nuclear proponents now claim that – despite the fact that the situation in the Fukushima nuclear plant is still not under control, despite the massive amount of radioactive water dumped into the sea with unknown consequence – Fukushima proves that nuclear energy is safe, because so far no one has been killed by the radiation?

I want them to say that to the doctors and the parents who are told that the state can now only afford to send children away for breaks in clean areas for 18 days per year. Nuclear supporters probably don’t know that it takes 50 days for the body of a child (100 days for adult) to get rid of half of its radioactive Cesium-137.

I want them to say that to the public health officials who are struggling to find funding to continue monitoring food contamination.

I want them to say that to the young woman who told us her favourite fruit is the blueberries from the forests. She knows they are contaminated by Cesium but she cannot help eating them sometimes.

I want them to take human life more seriously. There are 442 nuclear power plants in the world today and the majority are aging. There will be leaks, power outages, human errors, design flaws. The nuclear industry has no solutions to the radioactive waste problem. How many more life-crippling nuclear disasters will it take before the world gets rid of this outdated, dangerous and unnecessary technology?

IF NUCLEAR SCIENCE WAS "PERFECTED" OR PERFECT THERE WOULD BE ZERO CHANCE OF MELT DOWN OR RADIATION!!!

But businessmen lie... scientists need money. With a better design maybe Nuclear reactors could be safe... but they are not now... Its just a matter of time before the next one blows up or leaks... Who should be blame?? THE SCIENTISTS?? OR GOVERNMENTS???

So terrible to think our neighbors don't had forgotten this disaster we consider as a history. Somewhere subconsciously I knew their government may an...

So terrible to think our neighbors don't had forgotten this disaster we consider as a history. Somewhere subconsciously I knew their government may and do completely nothing.

Thanks greenpeace elucidate facts others try to think not.

Please, continue your work in this region to find help for people got trapped.

Where are sufficient and worldwide programs pointed to solve contamination remaining, to find the way cease the nuclear incident pollution, to provide victims way out to live somewhere else, to arrange support in food problem?

Can it really be true, that no one within Ukrainian government, within world organizations able to give children milk?

It could be ridiculous in case it wasn't so sad. A shame on all of them.

The claims that nuclear is safe (Clive and Shockwave) are clearly not shared by those that crunch numbers about risk - the insurance industry. A small...

The claims that nuclear is safe (Clive and Shockwave) are clearly not shared by those that crunch numbers about risk - the insurance industry. A small hint to the rest of us that this is an inherently risky technology:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h6m6Z-A7ZI8TAPBRy35Dlp_z8oiA?docId=6274d45186a24d978d43b1dff293cea4

it is almost difficult to imagine the fear of having to live under the shadow of the Chernobyl disaster,many lives will never be able to fully determi...

it is almost difficult to imagine the fear of having to live under the shadow of the Chernobyl disaster,many lives will never be able to fully determine the extent of living with the consequencies of the people responsable for making the desistion to build such a 'national monument'. Now it seems many nations shall have to consider this as a legicy,as the coalition goverment choices to sleep with many international companies all of whom will be more than happy to force the money spining opportunities towards a nations energy crisis, with the prospect of avoiding taking responsability to maintain it when the profits slowly start to dwindle.I only hope that people will finally decide to reduce the modern comforts we call a life style & live with absolute choice.

Say No to Nuclear Energy.
We must build projects to capture solar energy in space for countries like Ukraine.
In Brazil, the government wa...

Say No to Nuclear Energy.
We must build projects to capture solar energy in space for countries like Ukraine.
In Brazil, the government wants to build nuclear power stations in a country where solar energy is abundant.

Say No to Nuclear Energy.
We must build projects to capture solar energy in space for countries like Ukraine.
In Brazil, the government wa...

Say No to Nuclear Energy.
We must build projects to capture solar energy in space for countries like Ukraine.
In Brazil, the government wants to build nuclear power stations in a country where solar energy is abundant.

Until we as a species are prepared to pay more for the implementation of non fossil fuelled/nuclear generated power, genetically modified food and thi...

Until we as a species are prepared to pay more for the implementation of non fossil fuelled/nuclear generated power, genetically modified food and think laterally and pay for organically local produced seasonal vegetables abolish all nuclear power plants and mandate the end of fossil fuel economies - chernobyl will just be out of sight out of mind - think locally act globally...

I have never been involved or that concerned for nuclear wastes because probably I feel so remote and removed from it. But over the weekend, I was in ...

I have never been involved or that concerned for nuclear wastes because probably I feel so remote and removed from it. But over the weekend, I was in Ho Chi Minh at a museum dedicated to the effects of the chemical warfare used against the Vietnamese people. Nuclear or not, I left the museum with a change of perspective. And also with a sad affirmation that wars or no wars, the victims of these unnatural chemicals and nuclear wastes are often those who are most helpless and living in dire poverty. And while those affected face the consequences with as much strength as they can, sometimes it is never enough. Help is just never enough as well.

Nuclear energy is the product of mad insane people. The future of the world is in the hands of foolish politicians who support nuclear energy. So we a...

Nuclear energy is the product of mad insane people. The future of the world is in the hands of foolish politicians who support nuclear energy. So we are living under the most dreadful situation.
Nuclear energy requires investment per MW 8 to 9 times than thermal power plants. Cost of electricity generation is 2 to 3 times per KWH than the cost of thermal energy. 80% of generation cost is only interest cost. Solar power plants require only double the investment than coal based thermal power plants, but then fuel cost is zero. In spite of eye opening evident advantages of solar energy, foolish and crazy politicians support nuclear energy. Nuclear waste disposal is unsolved problem which will require huge expense for thousands of years. So only foolish insane people can support nuclear energy.